Humidifier



April 27, 1937. E; s. LEA Re. 20,341v

` HUMIDIFIE'R l Original Filed -April 4, 19325/- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Reuued Apr. 1937 Re. mit

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE Edward S. Lea.v M

mesne assignments,

Original No. 1,979,830,

to New York, N. Y., trustee Pn...l ndlnnr. bv George Vonama November c, lau,

Serial No. 664,300, April 4. 1933. Application for reissue December 5, 1934, Serial No. 756,123

3 Clairon regulate the humidity of the air which passes through it, while removing all, smoke. dust or other foreign particles.

Another object is to provide a compact air conditioning unit of simple, practical, rugged. durable construction, consisting of but few parts,

silent in operation, requiring but aslight amount of power to operate and devoid of spray nozzles, pump valves or other minute openings capable oi being clogged by sediment in the recirculated wash water.

Another object is to provide a unit including a water tank which may be readily detached and removed for purpose of cleaning and a device which for the most part recirculatesthe lwater which is used to wash and-humidity the air so that the total amount of vwater used over a long period of time is a negligible factor in the cost of operation.

A feature of the invention is the use of an elongated convolute air outlet through whichthe moisture laden air is blown, the air in transversing this spiral passageway having its direction of flow constantly changed so that excess moisture is centrifugally deposited on the wall of the volute conduit and the wall thus wetted accomplishes the effective retention of solid particle centrlfugally eliminated from the air. As another. feature of the invention rwater permitted to collect to a certain depth in the bottom of the volute outlet conduit so that evapothe fan, is effectively muilied.

vAnother feature of the invention is an improved method of humidiilcationwherein the air is first drawn through a heavy washing spray and then through a region of fine mist, the mist being readily absorbed by the washed air to complete humidiilcation thereof.

Another feature is the mechanical breaking ,up of undesirably large drops ofA water carried along from the region of theheavy spray into a iine mist to promote absorption of this moisture by from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings:

.-:f n the drawings. Fig. l is a vertical' section taken .through thehumidiiier, approximately on the line I-'l ofFig. 2; Fig. 2 a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; I,

Fig. 3 a horizontal section on the line -3-'3 oi Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 a vertical-section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The structure of the numidifymg device cumi prises an upper section, which may be operatively mounted by suspension .from a ceiling, and a lower section detachably secured to the upper.

section and removable downwardly from the latter. Said upper section includes a motor, a fan and a water dispersing device, both driven by said motor, and a discharge conduit surrounding the fan, all assembled in a unit. The removable lower section comprises a water tank or reservoir and other elements to be described hereinafter.

The water reservoir is in the form of a shallow pan I, rectangular in plan and having a at bottom land upstanding side walls 3. At one side ofthe reservoir there is aninlet valve 4. A float 5 is operatively connected to said valve to control automatically the depth of water in the reservoir. One side wall of the reservoir has an overflow spout 6. Preferably a flexible delivery hose 1 is connected to the valve, and a iiexible discharge hose B leads from the overflow spout. The bottom oi' the reservoir has a drain aperture which is closed by a threaded plug 9.

The structure of the upper section of the device includes a box-like casing Ill having a flat top I i and depending side walls I2. Said casing is rectangular in plan -to conform to the reservoir I j but is slightly smaller than the latter. The side -wallsof the casing extend into the reservoir and their lower edges abut the bottom of the reservoir.

One of the side walls bears the water inlet valve I. There is a surrounding lateral space between the side walls of the casing and o! the reservoir. and the casing has 'an aperture I3 through which water flows into said space. To detachably Join the casing and reservoir they are provided with registering brackets I4 spaced therearound. Bolts i3 are passed through apertures in the registering brackets and have thumb nuts 'Il screwed thereon.

'I'his arrangement permits the shallow wate pan of thetank `to'be readily disengaged from the casing and lowered for purpose of cleaning. Smoke, dust and other solid particles carrledinto the machine by the air, are removed during the course of air treatment and will eventually collect as a sediment in the pan and by making this pan removable, this sediment may be conveniently removed at will'.

In normal operation @the water in the pan is reclrculated over and over again, the iioat valve.- vcoming into play only when the water level lals the air passing through the machine. The loverilow I is primarily intended to take. care of water which may be'actually added to the tank.

supply when extremely hot humid air is passing through the machine and having ywater V,extracted from it rather than added toit. This will occur on hot sultry days if the temperature of the water yin the pan is appreciably lower than the temperature of the air passing through the machine.

An electric motor l1 is mounted upon theupper surface of the casing Ill with its axis vertical and in a position near the center of said surface. In the present instance the motor has a supporting ange bolted tothe-top of the casing through a compressible sealing and vibration absorbing gasket I8. 'I'he motor has a drive ysl'iaft Il depending into the casing and a multi-vane centrifugaifan 20 is xed thereto. 'I'he fan is of the sirocco type. It comprises a disk-like upper head 2|, an annular lower head 22 and vertical vanes 23 connecting the heads. In the present instance the vanes are straight in cross section and disposed radially, but their form and arrangement may -be varied. The head 2| has a fixed collar 2l iltted on the shaft andsecured thereto by a set screw. The shaft extends below i the fan and bears a centrifugal water butor 2l. The latter is of substantially funnel shape. It has a reduced lower end projecting below the water level in the reservoir, and a widely flared upper end terminating in a horizontal disk-like flange 2l. The mounting of the distributor comprises a sleeve 21 secured to the drive shaft by a set screw and having a spider connection 2l with the distributor.

A spiral discharge conduit 29 surroundsthe fan 2l. This conduit describes several convolutions in a horizontal plane. In the present instance there are two complete convolutions surrounding the periphery of the fan. The conduit is rectangular in cross section. Its upper wall is formed by the top wall Il of the casing I0 and "its bottom wall is formed byra horizontal disklike sheet 30. The side wallslare formed by/a strip ll curled in spiral form and having its upper and lower edges in sealed connection with the top and bottom wallsof the conduit. strip leads from a, point closely adjacent tothe periphery of the fan, spirally outward to a point adjacent one of the side walls of the casing III.

It is curled in a manner to increase the cross section of the conduit progressively from the center outward. The fan discharges centrifugally directly into the central convolution of the conduit. Directly over the outer end ofl the conduit the top wall of the casing is provided with an upwardly extending discharge spout 22 into which the conduit opens. The top and bottom walls of the conduit are curved upward, as at l2. to merge with the spout. 4A drain pipe 34 leads downward from the bottom of the conduit into the reservoir to a point below the waterlevel. Said pipe has its upper end projecting slightly above the bottom of the conduit. i

The sheet 2l forming the bottom of the conduit is dished upward directly beneath the fan, as at Il, and has an aperture A16 in register with the aperture in the lower head of the fan. This provides a suction connection between the fan and the air space over the water level in the reservoir.

l At one side, the casing l0 has an air inlet 31 for said air space. In the present instance said inlet extends the full width of the sideof the casing.

Said

If required an air nltering device, not may be connected to the inlet.

Within the water reservoir there is a yioralninous screen 38 preferably of wire mesh' to cooperate with the water distributor 25 to form a ne rwater spray for humidifylng air drawn inshown.

ward through the vinlet 31 by the fan.. This'.

screen surrounds the water distributor 26l and extends nearly `the entire vertical distance between the sheet 30 and the bottom of the reservoir. The screen has a bottom 39, and between said bottom and the bottom of the reservoir there are springs l0. The latter press the screen upward to,seal its upper edge against the sheet 30 outward of the dlshed portion 35 thereof. 'The screen is held properly positioned by any suitable means such as a stud 4| on the bottom of the reservoir extending through an aperture in the oottom of the screen and having a nut screwed on it. y

For humidifying the air in a house vor residence the humidifier may be advantageously placed yin the cellar or basement and suspended from the ceiling. For suspension of the device, the casing Il, at opposite sides thereof. is provided with brackets I2 formed with inverted hemispherical cup portions, Spheres Il of rubber or other suitable compressible shock absorbing material are iltted in said cups. -Verticall suspension rods l5 are passed through apertures in the spheres and cups. At their lower 'ends'sthe rods are threaded and ,have nuts It 'screwed thereon. Eyes 41 are' formed on the upper ends of the rods and are detachably anchored ln any suitable ymanner to the ceiling, as at s 'Ihe discharge spout l2 delivers, preferably through a exible` conduit connector 49 of fabric or other material. to a conduit connectiony il leading upward into the house. j' r The device operates as follows:v When the motor is started it drives both the fan and the underlying centrifugal water distributor 25. Rapid rotation of the latter causes water to rise thereon to the at ange28 and the ange ings a sheet of water or spray around the periphery of said flange and laterally against'the surrounding screen Il. Some of it passes outward through the screen in the form of spray. Some of it descends along the screen in the form of an annular film and some of it is deflected back within the screen in aiinely divided state.

The water centrifugally thrown from the distributor 25 and passing through the screen 28. substantially illls the space between the water level in the-tank and the bottom wall $0 .of the volute outlet conduit. spray is acted on simultaneously by the centrifugal force of the water dispersing device or slinger, by the force of gravity and by the suction of the fan, these opposing forces resulting in a spray to substantially flll the space through which the air passes to reach the screen. The air which is drawn inwardly by the fan flows substantially countercurrent to the projected spreading spray and all of the air before reaching the fan is compelled to pass through spray outside of the screen, through the film on the screen and through the heavy spray within the screen adiacent to the pe rlphery of the distributor 2B.

As the air is drawn into the fan. through the open lower end thereof it will contain a substantial amount of entrained relatively large water particles. 'Ihe vanes of the fan break up these entrained drops by impact and create tov some extent at least. a mist in the region of the ian Aso oftheelnngakilvohiteconduit aseieetiveastheaction p sIg-sagscrubbersyhichhave thispurposebutitisobvlousthatthevolutccon'. dultimpocesiarlessresistancetothe-ilovoiair thanastandardscnibberdoes.

The accumulation of water in the oi thevolute oonduittoadepth determined-bythe proloctlhgumlerendoithedrainpipe szw The disposition 'of the screen at Ys. distance from' the periphery of the water distributoraldsinluellmthenoeofthewater. The water which down silentlybackintothetankahdtheyaterwhieh noisy than'it the screen-m d mediate proximity to the perlpheryol the distributor. I

'nie device is designed throughmitior hunlldifying struction.l The reservoir I. thevcasing Il,`the

spiralwallli ottheeonduitandthehottomwall oftheconduitmayallhcmadeofshcetmetal practicalbsil'entin itsoperatiou.' The ian'is en- Ea s e 'Es i? ggf? `a' g? periphery, a ioralninous annular screen surot said centrifugal deendimmersedinthebodyofwaterinthe tooonduct sulptautiallytheentirevohimeoi'air discharged from the ian continuoiuly alongl a true spiral path.

2. A humidifying apparatus comprising a water reservoir, a centrifugal device power driven on a substantially vertical axis toraise yatesfrom the body oi water in the 'reservoir and sling it outward laterally in a sheet around itsperiph- .ery, a foraminous annular screen surrounding the periphery o! said centrifugal device to receive said sheet against it and having its lower endimmersedinthebodyogwaterinthe reservoir. to conduct the water received against the the screen. the screen being exposed lto the atmosphcre around its outer side. a centrifugal fan on a vertical axisvand in suction connection with,

thespaceenelosedbythescreentodrawitsin-v tke of air' through said water iiim'on .the screen and through said sheet dlschargedromvthe centrifugal device, a spiral discharge conduit having several convolutions in the samel plane and surrounding the periphery o! the i'auf and defined by acontinuous spiral side wall andby'top and screen from the centrifugal device downward o 

